Office Fit-Outs in Dublin: A Complete Guide for Businesses
Cat A versus Cat B, what actually drives the cost, the fit-out process step by step, and how to choose the right partner for a workplace that reflects your business.
An office fit-out is rarely just about desks and partitions. For Dublin businesses taking a new lease, reconfiguring for hybrid working, or refreshing a tired space, the fit-out is where the workplace becomes something that supports how people actually work, and says something about the business to everyone who walks in. The most successful projects are planned as a whole, where layout, services, brand and budget are resolved together from the first conversation.
What is an office fit-out?
An office fit-out is the process of taking an interior space and making it ready to work in, from the base condition a landlord provides through to a finished, functioning office. The scope depends entirely on the starting point, which is why the industry describes fit-outs in categories: Cat A, Cat B and, less formally, shell and core and turnkey.
Understanding those categories is the single most useful thing a business can do before requesting quotes, because it defines what is and is not included, and it is where most confusion and cost surprises come from.
- Shell and core: the base building, structure, lifts and facade, with the interior left unfinished
- Cat A: a functional but blank interior with basic finishes and services
- Cat B: the full fit-out, tailored to the occupier's brand, layout and way of working
- Turnkey: a single partner handling design and build through to a ready-to-occupy space
The category sets the scope. The scope sets the budget. Getting both clear before you quote is what keeps a fit-out on plan.
Cat A vs Cat B: which fit-out do you need?
Select a fit-out type to see what it includes, who it suits, and the key things to plan for on a Dublin project.
Shell and core
The base building as delivered by the developer: structure, external walls, lifts, stairs and main services brought to the floor, with the interior left as an open, unfinished space. Common in new commercial buildings before any tenant moves in.
Cat A fit-out
Takes the shell to a functional but generic standard: raised floors, suspended ceilings, basic lighting, heating and cooling, and finished surfaces. It is a complete, lettable interior, but not yet tailored to any particular occupier. Often provided by the landlord.
Cat B fit-out
The full occupier fit-out, taking a Cat A space and tailoring it to the business: layout, meeting rooms, reception, kitchen and breakout areas, branding, joinery, feature finishes and the technology to run it. This is the stage that turns a generic floor into a workplace with identity.
Turnkey (design and build)
A single partner takes responsibility for design and construction through to a finished, ready-to-occupy space. It removes the gaps between separate designers and contractors, and gives the business one point of accountability from brief to handover.
Office refurbishment
Upgrading an existing occupied or vacated space rather than fitting out a blank one. Ranges from a light refresh of finishes and furniture to a full strip-out and rebuild, often driven by a lease event, a change in headcount, or a shift to hybrid working.
What drives the cost of an office fit-out?
There is no single price for an office fit-out, because the cost is driven by scope, specification and the condition of the space you start from. A light Cat B on a good Cat A floor is a very different project from a full turnkey delivery with bespoke joinery and high-end finishes. Rather than quote a figure that will not hold, it is more useful to understand what moves the number.
The main cost drivers
- Fit-out category: how much has to be built from the starting condition
- Specification: standard finishes versus bespoke joinery and feature materials
- Layout complexity: number of meeting rooms, partitions and enclosed spaces
- Services: heating, cooling, electrical, data and AV requirements
- Programme: phasing works around an occupied office adds cost
The honest answer to "what will it cost" is that it depends on these factors, which is why a fit-out cost is best established with a site visit and a clear brief rather than a headline rate. A good partner will give you a realistic budget early, before design runs ahead of it.
From design to delivery, in-house
The office fit-out process, step by step
A well-run fit-out follows a clear sequence, and the early stages matter as much as the build. Rushing the brief and design is where projects go wrong; resolving them properly is what keeps the rest on schedule.
- Brief and survey: understanding how the business works, headcount and the space itself
- Design and layout: space planning, look and feel, and a budget that matches the brief
- Detailed design and approvals: technical drawings, services and any consents required
- Manufacture and construction: joinery made, partitions built, services installed
- Fit and handover: installation, snagging, and a space ready to occupy
The build is the visible part. The brief and the design are where the project is actually won or lost.
Shop and retail fit-outs
The same principles apply beyond the office. Retail, hospitality and showroom fit-outs are about turning a commercial space into an environment that reflects a brand and works for customers, from display and lighting to counters, seating and bespoke joinery.
ONOVO has delivered commercial fit-outs across retail and hospitality in Ireland, from jewellery retail with bespoke display cabinetry to a distillery visitor experience with a café, gift shop and tasting rooms. The craft that goes into a boardroom is the same craft that goes into a shopfront.
Where fit-out craft applies
- Retail: display cabinetry, counters, lighting and brand finishes
- Hospitality: bars, cafes, seating and feature joinery
- Showrooms and visitor spaces: environments built around the brand experience
- Reception and front-of-house: the first impression, in any commercial setting
Commercial fit-outs in detail
How to choose a fit-out partner in Dublin
The biggest decision after scope is who delivers the work. The main choice is between appointing separate designers and contractors, or a single design-and-build partner who handles the whole process. For most businesses, one accountable partner reduces the gaps where projects slip.
ONOVO designs, manufactures and installs commercial interiors from one team, with an in-house design studio and joinery workshop. That means the people who design the space also make and fit it, which keeps quality, cost and programme under one roof rather than passed between parties.
What to look for
- A single point of accountability from brief to handover
- In-house design and manufacture, not everything subcontracted out
- Relevant commercial experience, with real projects you can see
- A realistic budget set early, before design runs ahead of it
- Clear programming, especially if your office stays in use during works
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a Cat A and a Cat B office fit-out?
A Cat A fit-out brings a space to a functional but generic standard, with raised floors, ceilings, basic lighting, heating and cooling and finished surfaces, but no occupier-specific design. A Cat B fit-out takes that base and tailors it to the business: layout, meeting rooms, reception, kitchen and breakout areas, branding, joinery and technology. Put simply, Cat A makes a floor usable, Cat B makes it yours.
How much does an office fit-out cost in Ireland?
There is no single price, because cost is driven by the fit-out category, the specification, the complexity of the layout, the services required and the condition of the space you start from. A light Cat B on a good Cat A floor is very different from a full turnkey delivery with bespoke joinery. The most reliable way to establish a budget is a site visit and a clear brief, so figures reflect your actual project rather than a headline rate.
How long does an office fit-out take?
Timelines vary with scope and specification, but a fit-out runs through briefing and survey, design and approvals, manufacture and construction, then installation and handover. The design and approval stages often take as long as the build, which is why resolving the brief early is important. Phasing works around an office that stays in use will also extend the programme.
What is the difference between an office fit-out and an office refurbishment?
A fit-out prepares a blank or base-condition space for occupation, most often a new lease. A refurbishment upgrades an existing office that is already occupied or being reoccupied, ranging from a light refresh of finishes and furniture to a full strip-out and rebuild. Refurbishments are frequently driven by a lease event, a change in headcount, or a move to hybrid working.
Do you provide both design and construction for office fit-outs in Dublin?
Yes. ONOVO designs, manufactures and installs commercial interiors from one team, with an in-house design studio and joinery workshop. That gives a business a single point of accountability from brief to handover, and keeps quality, cost and programme under one roof rather than split across separate designers and contractors.
Planning an office or commercial fit-out in Dublin?
A consultation is the best place to begin. It brings clarity to scope, layout and budget before decisions are locked in, so the space and the way your business works are designed as one. ONOVO combines design thinking, in-house craftsmanship and delivery discipline within a single commercial process.
The most valuable outcome is a workplace that works for your people and reflects your business, delivered by one accountable team from brief to handover.
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